


Always an optimist

by MidgardianNerd



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Poe is a nurse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-02
Updated: 2019-05-02
Packaged: 2020-02-16 08:15:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18687634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MidgardianNerd/pseuds/MidgardianNerd
Summary: Even the worst situations can bring something good.





	Always an optimist

**Author's Note:**

  * For [idrilhadhafang](https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/gifts).



> For Idril who felt sad and I tried to do something to comfort him. To be honest, that’s really not my best work. But it’s too late for me to care about it.

When water hit his face, Poe opened his eyes and it took him few seconds to discern his attackers. It wasn’t really a surprise when they revealed themselves to be the Hux’s twins, his two little devils for already a month. When Poe accepted the job of nurse for the Hux’s family, he didn’t think that these two seven-year old kids with their bright blue eyes and their angelic faces could be so mischievous when they wanted. Poe wondered from where it came from since their parents, Phasma and Armitage weren’t at all like that. 

 

Andeela, the girl threw a bright smile to Poe and the young man couldn’t help to break his stern face with a smile, unable to be insensitive to her joy. Emrys, the boy was like usually, behind her, worried to have make something bad. Poe offered him a sweet smile, trying to comfort the young boy that everything was alright. When the kids were assured that they still had the affection of their nurse, they swam to him before hugging each one one of Poe’s legs, the young man being sat on the board of the familial pool. 

 

“You little daemons!” laughed Poe before tickling their necks and the twins erupted in big laughs. “I will have grey hair sooner than I should thanks to you.” grinned Poe with a wink. 

“You will be beautiful!” blurted out Emrys, to Poe’s surprise. 

“What?” chuckled Poe, confused. 

“That’s Uncle Kylo who said it. And he never lies.” answered Andeela, like it was the most natural thing in the world. 

 

Poe couldn’t help to blush. Uncle Kylo. The mysterious young man who was living with the Hux family. Poe didn’t know a thing about him. The man was spending all his days in a strange zombiesque spleen, his face frozen in a scowl and his eyes being so full of sadness that Poe always felt a pang to his heart when he was looking at him. Poe didn’t think that Kylo even registered his presence so to hear that the young man talked about him to the twins, it was a real surprise. 

 

“And what else does he say about me? “ asked Poe, feeling kinda bad about using children to bribe some information about the mysterious man who caught Poe’s eyes from the moment he saw him for the first time. 

“He made you a prince.” screamed in joy the young girl. 

“A prince?” asked Poe, a bright smile on his lips. 

“You’re Prince Oscar, the bravest Knight of the Galaxy.” answered Emrys, proudly. 

 

Poe’s breath hitched in his throat. The only time that Poe heard Kylo’s voice was when he spotted him telling a story to the twins before they went to sleep. Phasma explained him that it was something Kylo used to do every evening for the twins. The three of them had a whole story going between them, a mix of Andeela’s love for SciFi and Emrys’ love for medieval history. To know that Kylo made of Poe a part of their own little world, it was heartwarming and Poe, more than ever wanted to talk with the young man and to discover more about him. 

 

“And who is Uncle Kylo?” asked Poe, benefiting from the a rare moment of the twins being quiet and focused on something not harmful for any of them. 

“He is Knight Ren.” answered shyly Emrys and Poe could heard in his voice that he was his favourite character. 

“Oh! Are we a team?” asked Poe, smiling softly. 

“No!” exclaimed Andeela. “Ren is a bad guy.” she added and Poe frowned. 

 

Why Kylo gave himself the role of the bad guy? Nobody in their right mind would do that. Poe felt another pang to his heart. He began to get what Kylo was feeling. Poe suddenly felt immensely grateful for the two little kids to be there, to have been there to help their uncle, the man showing faint traces of life when he was with them. They didn’t understand it, but they were helping him more than anybody else probably could. 

 

“He isn’t.” claimed Emrys, outraged before blushing hard. 

“He isn’t?” asked Poe, neutral and probing at Emrys for him to express himself. The young boy shook his head. 

“There is a bad wizard and he is the one who makes Ren doing bad things.” mumbled Emrys and Poe bit down his lips, trying to not show his tears to the kids. 

“So he needs to be saved!” exclaimed Poe and both kids nodded enthusiastically. 

“We’re already working on that.” said Andeela, a little bit disdainful and Poe couldn’t hold back his smile, recognising her father in her attitude. 

“Really?” asked Poe, amused to see them being so enamoured with the world Kylo created for them. 

“I’m the best bowman of the kingdom and Emrys is the strongest wizard ever.” screamed the young girl and Poe nodded before clapping in his hands, being entertained by their story. 

“So, what Prince Oscar is doing in this story?” asked Poe and both twins shared an amused look. 

“He will break the curse!” cheered up Emrys and his sister laughed with him. 

“How?” asked Poe, curious. 

“By kissing him.” answered Andeela like Poe was an idiot. 

 

Poe coughed, the answer taking him totally by surprise. And his mind immediately picturing him kissing the full lips of Kylo and he blushed hard, feeling his stomach warming at this thought. 

 

“Am I right, Uncle Kylo?” screamed Emrys, looking behind Poe and the young man froze. 

“That’s your story little rascals!” answered a deep voice behind him and Poe shivered. 

 

Both twins screamed with excitement and they got out of the pool before jumping on their uncle. Poe observed them climbing on the big man like he was a mountain and Kylo carrying them like they were nothing. Poe never witnessed before the strength of the man and he couldn’t help to be impressed, wondering how it feel to be carried by him. 

Soon, Andeela was flying above Poe’s head to land into the water and Emrys followed her few seconds later, screaming in joy to be thrown by their uncle. Poe laughed when he received again water and the children cheered up their uncle before beginning to try to drown the other one. 

 

Poe felt nervous when Kylo sat at his side, his legs moving into the water. Kylo always looked dangerous to him but he was so sweet with the kids that Poe couldn’t be afraid of him. The both men stayed silent for a long time, observing the children fighting each other. Poe wanted to say something. Thanks to their little story, Poe felt now closer to him and yet, they never properly talked to each other. Poe wanted to change that. 

 

“I hope you...don’t mind.” said Poe without looking to Kylo. 

“About what?” whispered the young man. 

“Your story.” answered Poe, finally looking up to his companion. 

 

A soft smile took place on Kylo’s lips and Poe couldn’t say if it was amused or self-depreciating. But sure he knew now that Kylo looked better with a smile on his lips, even if it was looking more like a smirk. 

 

“That’s a point of a story.” answered Kylo and Poe frowned, confused. “To be shared.” added Kylo, finally looking into Poe’s eyes and the young nurse felt awestruck by the intense gaze of Kylo, seeing clearly his eyes for the first time since he met him. 

“Right.” smiled softly Poe and he felt his heart fluttering when he spotted a shy smile on Kylo’s lips as an answer. 

 

Poe felt relaxed more than he has been in the whole last month now that he finally spoke to Kylo. It wasn’t yet a friendly conversation but it was a beginning. And since Kylo barely talked with anybody, even Phasma or Hux, Poe felt this like a victory. 

Poe searched for something else to say, feeling like Kylo was in a good day when the twins jumped on him and dragged him into the water. Kylo faked to be at their mercy and both Poe and the twins couldn’t stop to laugh, Poe feeling relieved to see the young man acting like a human being. Poe observed Kylo playing with his nephews for long minutes, his eyes unable to look away from Kylo’s shining hair stuck to his pale skin. Poe didn’t try to hide his smile and when he crossed Kylo’s eyes, his stomach rumbled spotting the fire burning into Kylo’s gaze. 

 

So lost into Kylo’s presence, Poe missed to spot the two little devils swimming towards him.  When they grabbed his legs, it was already to late and Poe was dragged to the bottom of the pool. 

Poe tried to not panick, tried to remember to move his legs and arms to reach the surface but he couldn’t, the fear freezing him. What an idiot he has been. He couldn’t swim. Not since his mother’s accident and he should have say no to the twins when they harassed him to go to swim. How would he have done if one of them would have need his help? Poe was an idiot. And now he will die there. Traumatising two beautiful children in the process. 

Poe could feel the lack of air in his lungs and losing consciousness. The darkness was already claiming him so he barely felt when a pair of arms slid around his chest and pull him up to the surface. 

 

* * *

 

There was first a pressure on his chest before an intense burn ascended into his throat. Poe came back to life with a deep gasp, spitting out water while a hand was slapping him between his shoulder blades. Poe took a deep breath, tears tingling into his eyes while his heart was beating hard against his chest. 

 

“Easy.” whispered a soft voice while a tender hand helped him to lay on his back. 

 

Poe blinked few times, trying to recover his senses. When he looked up, Kylo appeared above him, his hair dripping onto Poe’s face and his face distorted with worry. His big hands were softly caressing Poe’s face, trying to sooth Poe’s distress away, his thumb brushing Poe’s hair from his forehead. 

 

“That’s okay.” whispered Kylo and Poe grabbed his wrist, needing Kylo to anchor him back to the real world. “You’re fine.”

 

It took long seconds for Poe to believe him and after a minute, he nodded. Kylo slid an arm around Poe’s shoulders before helping him to sit down. When he heard sobs, Poe looked up to see the twins standing few meters away, hugging each other and crying while looking at Poe. Weakly, Poe opened his arms and Andeela and Emrys ran to him. The young nurse hugged them hard against him, feeling relieved to see them being safe. 

 

“We’re sorry Poe.” cried Andeela and Emrys nodded, hiding his face into Poe’s arms. 

“That’s okay.” answered the young man with a hoarse voice. 

 

The children still cried into his arms and only when Poe felt another pair of arms closing around them, he let his own tears falling down. 

 

* * *

 

Hours later, after a shower for all of them and a long cuddle on the couch, Poe and Kylo carried the twins to their beds, the almost dreadful event of the day having drained all their energy and they fell asleep in the middle of the movie. 

Poe stepped outside the bedroom, waiting for Kylo who left a last kiss on his nephews’ foreheads before leaving the room. Now, both men were standing awkwardly in the corridor and Poe felt his heart screaming for Kylo to not leave him alone. 

 

“Hum...thank you.” whispered Poe. “You know, to have saved me.” added Poe when he saw Kylo frowning, confused. 

“I couldn’t let you dying.” answered Kylo, with a deadpan voice. 

“I’m feeling so stupid.” breathed out Poe, burying his face in his hands and his shoulders began to shake. 

 

When he felt an hand in his shoulder, Poe broke down in sobs and despite all his efforts, he couldn’t stop himself to cry like a child. Once again, Poe felt arms around him and soon, his face was buried in a strong chest. A soothing hand was caressing his back and he felt lips brushing against his forehead. 

 

“You were a little bit of an idiot.” whispered Kylo and Poe felt relieved that the man didn’t try to find him an excuse. 

“I know.” sobbed Poe. 

 

Kylo’s hands softly pushed him away from his chest but still rest on Poe’s shoulders. The young nurse finally looked up at the other man and Kylo was looking at him without resentment or pity. Then, he slid an arm around Poe’s shoulders before leading him towards the kitchen. 

 

“Come!” I will make you a coffee. said Kylo and Poe nodded. 

“Yes! I think I need it.” sighed Poe. 

“And tomorrow I will teach you how to swim.” added Kylo

“Yes. I need that too.” admitted Poe. 

 

Both men looked at each other before smiling, amused. Poe would have preferred not almost dying but maybe something good could come from that. 

**Author's Note:**

> My tumblr: @midgardiannerd


End file.
